Rear Trailing Arm / Control Arm Bushes - Approx Labour Time

[TDIQ]

I need to get my rear trailing arm bushes (the ones that are in the hub) changed but having nowhere to do it myself at the moment I think I'll take it to a garage to get sorted.

Can the bushes be changed without taking the hub off? One garage I spoke with quoted approx. 3 hours labour because the hubs need to get removed. Is it possible to change the bushes without doing this? If so, how many hours of labour would be required?

Thanks

 

[Tooks]

I did mine on the drive way on axle stands, leaving the arms/hub in situ and it took longer than 3 hours! I had to drill the old bushes out though, and with the trailing arm removed I suppose they could be pressed out if you had one.

It doesn't sound unreasonable, 3 hours, if they really are removing the trailing arms. If done in situ you need to be careful not to snap the brake lines.

 

[mattyboy199]

For some reason jabbasport wouldnt even quote me for trailing arm bushes but did quote me £234 for the control arm bushes including superpro bushes (4 in total @ £120) depends what rate per hour your being charged

 

[JimS3]

Remove the hubs, why?

A few sharp smacks with a hammer and the correct size drift will see the old bushes out without removing the hub.
New ones can be wound in with threaded bar without moving the hub.

Last set of 4 I did took about an hour and a half including getting the car on and off the ramp.
Three hours seems a little excessive to me. Shouldn't really take more than 2 with the correct tools.

 

[TDIQ]

Thanks for the replies. Ideally i'd rather not have the hubs removed to save on labour.

Jim is your S3 a facelift model as I think the bushes were changed to a revised part?

 

[JimS3]

Thanks for the replies. Ideally i'd rather not have the hubs removed to save on labour.

Jim is your S3 a facelift model as I think the bushes were changed to a revised part?

No mine is a pre-facelift.

The part was revised, but this was not to do with the face lift changes.

The original part is a rose joint with rubber seals each end, the seals were not very reliable and let water in. This caused the joint to seize and then weaken the control arms, causing them to snap and the wheel to fall up into the arch. Interesting at high speed to say the least.

There was a revised rose joint with better seals, but this still gave problems.

The latest part is a bonded metal rubber bush, you can no longer buy the rose joint versions.

 

[TDIQ]

No mine is a pre-facelift.

The part was revised, but this was not to do with the face lift changes.

The original part is a rose joint with rubber seals each end, the seals were not very reliable and let water in. This caused the joint to seize and then weaken the control arms, causing them to snap and the wheel to fall up into the arch. Interesting at high speed to say the least.

There was a revised rose joint with better seals, but this still gave problems.

The latest part is a bonded metal rubber bush, you can no longer buy the rose joint versions.

Ah I thought it was down the facelift. Thanks for info, much appreciated.